Heinemann’s duty free and travel retail offer at Sydney Airport’s international terminal (T1) has been awarded gold in the category of Interior Design – Retail at the Sydney Design Awards & Summit 2016.

Heinemann’s T1 departures store transformation secured gold for its unique interior concept developed in partnership with design firm Geyer.

Managing Director Heinemann Australia, Constantin Wiesmann, comments: “This award is confirmation that in collaboration with Geyer, Heinemann Australia has created a truly remarkable environment.

“We set a robust brief to construct the largest duty free store that empowers the Australian aesthetic, while creating a uniquely Sydney and memorable experience for international visitors and locals.”

Heinemann’s store design has a more contemporary look and feel, aimed at enhancing the DF&TR in-store experience and delivering a strong sense of the city of Sydney. Features include a bespoke sectional design highlighting all the key category ranges, while tailored customer engagement zones deliver other retail concepts to lift the shopping experience.

A five metre-wide straight path in the middle of the store allows passengers to make their way through the store with ease, enhancing wayfinding and improving sightlines to gates. A contemporary and artistic interpretation of Australian jacaranda trees is woven throughout the store, with pops of purple lights descending from custom-made steel structures.

Heinemann’s five-store footprint across Sydney’s T1 spans more than 9,000sq m and caters to more than 14.5m passengers travelling through the terminal each year.

SILVER TO LAVA LABORATORY

Also taking an award for ‘visionary architecture’ was Lava Laboratory which created designs for Heinemann at Sydney Airport that drew inspiration from Sydney Harbour’s bays, beaches and headlands.

The concept consisted of 10 retail stands that capture the topography of the harbour inlets as seen from the air. The curved timber display stands are each unique in shape, height and size to reflect how the harbour foreshore is also different in every spot.

Now in its fifth year, the Sydney Design Awards have a focus on the visual experience delivered through design, furnishings, finishes and aesthetic presentation.